Device for stamping groove lines on corrugated board

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for stamping groove lines on corrugated board to better fold and comply with the sizes of boxes in production and processing machines having a combined grooving and transport, body ( 1 ) and a counter-body. The combined grooving and transport body ( 1 ) is fitted on its periphery with a grooving ring ( 11 ) having straight individual surfaces, said ring having the shape of a regular polygon with straight flat pieces whose number varies due to the different peripheries.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A scoring apparatus for accurately scoring corrugated cardboard to produce fold lines for facilitating folding the cardboard into a box of predetermined dimensions, the scoring apparatus comprising: 
       an annular scoring ring having a circumferential surface provided with a plurality of straight sides radially extending away from said circumferential surface of said scoring ring and aligned end to end in a plane of rotation of said scoring ring to form a polygonal scoring extension, said scoring ring mounted on a shaft for rotation;  
       an annular conveyor ring having a circumferential surface mounted on a shaft for rotation in a direction opposite to that of said scoring ring; and,  
       a conventional drive for rotating said shafts;  
       said scoring ring and said conveyor ring mounted adjacent to each other to form a nip for conveying and scoring said cardboard, said polygonal scoring extension of said scoring ring and said circumferential surface of said conveyor ring being spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance which is determined by the kind of corrugated board being scored, whereby when said cardboard is drawn between said scoring ring and said conveyor ring as said scoring ring and said conveyor ring rotate, each raised straight edge of said polygonal scoring extension, in turn, presses said cardboard against said circumferential surface of said conveyor ring, creating a substantially straight fold line in said cardboard from a leading edge of said cardboard to a trailing edge of said cardboard.  
     
     
       2. The scoring apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said straight sides are between about 1 mm and about 25 mm in length. 
     
     
       3. The scoring apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said scoring ring is made from a durable, substantially rigid material. 
     
     
       4. The scoring apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said scoring ring is constructed from a material selected from the group consisting of steel and cast iron. 
     
     
       5. The scoring apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said conveyor ring has a circumferential surface formed from steel. 
     
     
       6. The scoring apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said conveyor ring has a circumferential working surface formed from polyurethane. 
     
     
       7. The scoring apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said straight sides extend radially from about 1 mm to about 4 mm beyond said circumferential surface of said scoring ring. 
     
     
       8. The scoring apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said straight sides have a width of about 0.5 mm to about 4.0 mm. 
     
     
       9. The scoring apparatus of  claim 8  wherein each of said straight sides have a distal surface, which contacts and scores said cardboard, which is rounded. 
     
     
       10. A scoring ring for scoring cardboard, said scoring ring being mountable in a conventional scoring apparatus for accurately scoring corrugated cardboard to produce fold lines for facilitating folding the cardboard into a box of predetermined dimensions, the scoring apparatus including a rotatable shaft for rotating an annular scoring ring having a raised scoring extension, an annular conveyor ring having a circumferential surface mounted on a shaft for rotation in a direction opposite to that of said scoring ring and a conventional drive for rotating the shafts; the scoring extension and the circumferential surface of the conveyor ring mounted adjacent to each other and spaced apart by a predetermined distance to form a nip for conveying and scoring the cardboard, said predetermined distance determined by the kind of corrugated cardboard being scored, said scoring ring comprising: 
       a ring mountable on a shaft for rotation, said ring having a circumferential surface provided with a plurality of raised straight sides aligned end to end to form a polygonal scoring extension, whereby when said corrugated cardboard is drawn between said polygonal scoring extension and said conveyor ring as said scoring ring and said conveyor ring rotate, each raised straight side of said polygonal scoring extension, in turn, presses said cardboard against said circumferential surface of said conveyor ring, creating a substantially straight fold line in said cardboard from a leading edge of said cardboard to a trailing edge of said cardboard.  
     
     
       11. The scoring ring of  claim 10  wherein said straight sides are between about 5 mm and about 25 mm in length. 
     
     
       12. The scoring ring of  claim 10  wherein said scoring ring is made from a durable, substantially rigid material. 
     
     
       13. The scoring ring of  claim 12  wherein said durable, substantially rigid material is selected from the group consisting of steel and cast iron. 
     
     
       14. The scoring ring of  claim 11  wherein said straight sides extend radially from about 1 mm to about 4 mm beyond said circumferential surface of said ring. 
     
     
       15. The scoring ring of  claim 14  wherein said straight sides have a width of about 0.5 mm to about 4.0 mm. 
     
     
       16. The scoring ring of  claim 10  wherein each of said straight sides have a rounded edges. 
     
     
       17. A method of scoring corrugated cardboard to produce fold lines for facilitating folding the cardboard into a box of predetermined dimensions, using a scoring apparatus having an annular scoring ring having a circumferential surface provided with a plurality of straight sides radially extending away from said circumferential surface of said scoring ring and aligned end to end in a plane of rotation of said scoring ring to form a polygonal scoring extension, said scoring ring mounted on a shaft for rotation, an annular conveyor ring having a circumferential surface mounted on a shaft for rotation in a direction opposite to that of said scoring ring, and a conventional drive for rotating said shafts, and wherein the scoring ring and the conveyor ring are mounted adjacent to each other to form a nip for conveying and scoring said cardboard, the polygonal scoring extension of the scoring ring and the circumferential surface of the conveyor ring being spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance which is determined by the kind of corrugated board being scored, the method comprising the steps of: 
       adjusting the spacing between the polygonal scoring extension and the circumferential surface of the conveyor ring to exert a predetermined pressure on corrugated board to be scored;  
       activating the drive for rotating the scoring ring and the conveyor ring;  
       conveying corrugated board to a nip formed between the polygonal scoring extension and the circumferential surface of the conveyor ring;  
       feeding a leading edge of the corrugated board into said nip;  
       continue rotating said scoring ring and conveyor ring to convey and score the corrugated board from said leading edge to a trailing edge of the corrugated board as each side of the polygonal scoring extension in turn presses the corrugated board against the circumferential surface of the conveyor ring and moves the corrugated board in a downstream direction; and,  
       conveying the scored corrugated board in a downstream direction away from scoring ring and conveyor ring.